Unboxing: BoxyCharm and Ipsy May 2019

This month I splurged on the BoxyLimited Skincare box, as well as my regular subscription.  It ended up being an awesome idea, because it was WELL worth the money spent to get brands like GlamGlow and Saturday Skin.

The items in my regular Boxycharm were:

-GlamGlow Gentlebubble daily cleanser

-Dose of Color liquid matte lipstick in the shade Pinky Promise

-Alamar Colorete blush trio in Fair-Light

-Bodyography eyeliner pencil in the color emerald

-Ciate London eye lustre creme eyeshadow in the shade Cupid

The items in the Skincare box were:

-Saturday Skin 'Rub a Dub' refining peel gel

-Elemis superfood night cream

-GlamGlow superserum

-Glow Recipe watermelon sheet masks

-Farsali jelly beam highlighter

-Kopari coconut cleansing oil

-Caudalie grape water

-Cosmedix jade roller

I've tried almost every skincare item received and I'm loving it, because my face feels so smooth with little to no breakouts!  My favorite item in the regular boxy is the Ciate London eyeshadow because it gives me the perfect amount of shimmer on my lids without any fallout!

I've been loving Ipsy lately because they've been getting the items I want just right!  Unfortunately, this isn't one of the better bags, although I appreciate the moisturizer and the pretty blending brush!  At $10 a month, this is one of the more affordable subscription boxes/bags available.

Here's what was in my Ipsy bag:

-MAC prep + prime natural radiance in Radiant Yellow

-R+CO Waterfall Moisture and Shine lotion

-SLMISSGLAM SS57 blending brush

-Pixi by Petra H20 Skindrink

-Ofra Cosmetics long lasting liquid lipstick in Mocha

Review: Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan

Title: Unpregnant
Author: Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Release date: September 10th, 2019
Pages: 272
Rating: 3 out of 5
Source: Edelweiss+
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

Seventeen-year-old Veronica Clarke never thought she would wish she’d failed a test until she finds herself holding a thick piece of plastic in her hands and staring at two solid pink lines. Even the most consistent use of condoms won’t prevent pregnancy when your boyfriend secretly pokes holes in them to keep you from going out-of-state for college. 

Veronica needs an abortion, but the closest place she can legally get one is over nine hundred miles away—and Veronica doesn’t have a car. Too ashamed to ask her friends or family for help, Veronica turns to the one person she believes won’t judge her: Bailey Butler, Jefferson High’s own little black cloud of anger and snark—and Veronica’s ex-best friend. Once on the road, Veronica quickly remembers nothing with Bailey is ever simple and that means two days of stolen cars, shotguns, crazed ex-boyfriends, truck stop strippers with pro-life agendas, and a limo driver named Bob. But the pain and betrayal of their broken friendship can’t be outrun. When their fighting leads to a brutal moment of truth, Bailey abandons Veronica. Now Veronica must risk everything in order to repair the hurt she’s caused

Veronica is just a normal teenage girl. She's popular, does well in school, and even got into an ivy-league college.  The only thing that could ruin her life and her reputation now is getting pregnant- which she does.  When she finds out that her boyfriend planned it to trap her, she knows that the only option for her is abortion.  Coming from a very religious family and friendship circle, she keeps it a secret and involves the only person who can't judge--her ex best friend, Bailey.

 I went into this story very open-minded, because as a woman, I firmly believe in pro-choice.  It's the first book I've read about abortion, and it was masked by a fun summer road-trip adventure.  My biggest gripe about the writing was the portrayal of Veronica's boyfriend.  Granted, he is trash for what he did to her, but as the story went on, he got crazier and crazier.  As they fled from state to state, trying to make it from Missouri to New Mexico, Kevin somehow always managed to catch up to try and ruin the plan.  This small detail made me roll my eyes several times because it was so outlandish.

I did, however, really enjoy the fact that although the topic was pretty heavy for your standard contemporary YA, it still felt very light and easy to read.  I loved the dynamic between Veronica and Bailey.  They split when they were in middle school and went in complete opposite directions, yet Bailey is the only one who would agree to help Veronica and stand by her every step of the way.  Boy, was it an adventure.  Who knew that two teenage girls could get themselves into so much trouble in one weekend?  There were strippers, potential serial killers, grand theft auto, and giant pink elephants, just to name a few of the things standing in their way.

I ended up reading this book in one sitting; it was just one of those stories where I had to see it through to the end, just to make sure that Veronica made the right decision for herself and to see what would become of her and Bailey's friendship.  I was eager to see if anyone else would find out about the secret, after all.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for stories that involve a strong female influence!

If you want to see my Book Aesthetics post on Unpregnant, click here!

Book Outlet Haul Spring 2019

At the beginning of April I went through my EIGHT bookcases and got rid of a decent amount of books that I knew I would never read/pick up again.  Most of them were books I'd gotten in my early days of blogging and felt that I've already grown out of.

Book Outlet had a huge sale a couple weeks ago, so naturally, I had to place an order.  I've already filled about half of the empty space I was left with, which I still count as a win, tbh!  Out with the old, in with the new!  I absolutely love looking at my shelves and seeing more books that I want to actually pick up and read!

 

-Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

-More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

-100 Days of Cake by Shari Goldhagen

-Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

-The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith

-For The Record by Charlotte Huang

-Going Geek by Charlotte Huang

-The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

-This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

-Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

-Shade, the Changing Girl, Volume 1 by Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone

 -Buffering by Hannah Hart

-The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone

-The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone

-The Wicked Deep by Shea Earnshaw

-Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

-Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills
-What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
-Save the Date by Morgan Matson
-Sadie by Courtney Summers
-Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk
-Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young
-Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin
-The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
-The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
-When We Collided by Emery Lord
-Changes in Latitudes by Jen Malone

Have you read any of these?  
Which ones should I start reading first?

"Unpregnant" book aesthetics

Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan (release date: September 10th 2019) is a story about Veronica Clarke, a girl who takes a road trip that will change and possibly save her life.  When her boyfriend gets her pregnant by poking holes in their condoms because he's too insecure to let her go off to college without him, she has to find a way to fix it.  Enter Bailey Butler, ex best friend and the only hope that Veronica has of getting to New Mexico for the abortion.

I realize that this story isn't going to be for everyone.  It's definitely a heavy topic, but the story was also a light and fun adventure.  Here are some of the pictures that remind me of this book:

 

 

Review: Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman

Title: Kissing Max Holden
Author: Katy Upperman
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Release date: August 1st, 2017
Pages: 304
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Publisher
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

Kissing Max Holden was a terrible idea... 

After his father has a life-altering stroke, Max Holden isn't himself. As his long-time friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help him, but she doesn't know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows that she shouldn't let him kiss her. But she can't resist, and when they're caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it'll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea. 

With a new baby sibling on the way, her parents fighting all the time, and her dream of culinary school up in the air, Jill starts spending more and more time with Max. And even though her father disapproves and Max still has a girlfriend, not kissing Max is easier said than done. Will Jill follow her heart and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?

If you're looking for a great contemporary story, I highly recommend that you add this one to your list.  Kissing Max Holden isn't just a fluffy read, like I thought upon first picking it up due to the cover.  As I read the story, I learned that there's actually a lot of depth to the characters created.  First, there's Jillian, who you meet when Max, her next door neighbor climbs through her window one night.  She's smart, but can't help but resist kissing Max, even though she knows he has a girlfriend. 

I, personally, LOVE a good boy-next-door kind of story.  It's always one of my go-to ideas when writing and I tend to gravitate towards those books the most.  I don't know why, but it's just so appealing!  Max and Jill both have their own family issues.  Max's dad had a stroke, and it's affected Max greatly.  Jill's stepmom is pregnant with her sister, but Jill's planning on moving to New York to go to culinary school...until her parents start fighting incessantly and she learns that she may not have the money for culinary school, after all. 

There's drama between characters and toxic relationships are a huge issue in this story, but there are a lot of lessons to be learned!  There's so much chemistry between our two main characters, which makes the book and exciting read, but there's also a factor of infidelity, which isn't everyone's cup of tea when reading a book regarding romance.  My least favorite thing about the book was how they went about handling Max's relationship with the toxic girlfriend.  It felt like such a rocky ride, which is realistic, but also felt a little drawn out.

Although this story is called Kissing Max Holden, it's about so much more than that.  It's a book about a teenage girl who loves to bake; who's trying to make a life for herself, who is falling for her neighbor, and is dealing with fighting at home and at school.  Her only safe house is Max Holden- or the idea of him- and even then, things aren't completely stable.

Summer 2019 TBR

Why does it seem that I always get in the mood to read when the weather gets warmer?  I came back to reading and blogging last year during late Spring/early Summer and fell into hibernation until now, early May.  Since I never got to read some of the titles I was looking forward to catching up on last year, they've carried on into my Summer TBR this year!

(@thehollowcupboards)

-The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo
-The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone
-The Wicked Deep by Shea Earnshaw
-Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
-A Week of the Mondays by Jessica Brody
-By Your Side by Kasie West
-Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
-For the Record by Charlotte Huang

I don't think it's possible for me to get sick of YA contemporary. 
It's perfect all year long!

What's on your TBR for the next few months?

Love, Life, and The List book aesthetics

One thing I think I'd love to start posting are pictures that remind me of certain books!  I just finished Love, Life, and The List by Kasie West, and similar to her other novels, it was the perfect summer read.  

The main character, Abby, is an artist struggling to find herself when she's told that her paintings are lacking heart.  She makes a list of new experiences that help bring her out of her comfort zone, and the only person left in town to do them with is her best friend, Cooper.  As she struggles with her secret feelings for him, she learns a lot more about herself than ever before and even makes a few new friends along the way.

There were plenty of beach scenes and romance, therefore I chose these photos to represent the book:

Review: Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim

Title: Mariam Sharma Hits the Road
Author: Sheba Karim
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Release date: June 5th, 2018
Pages: 320
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Won
Goodreads | Amazon | Author 

The summer after her freshman year in college, Mariam is looking forward to working and hanging out with her best friends: irrepressible and beautiful Ghazala and religious but closeted Umar. But when a scandalous photo of Ghaz appears on a billboard in Times Square, Mariam and Umar come up with a plan to rescue her from her furious parents. And what better escape than New Orleans? 

 The friends pile into Umar's car and start driving south, making all kinds of pit stops along the way--from a college drag party to a Muslim convention, from alarming encounters at roadside diners to honky-tonks and barbeque joints. 

 Along with the adventures, the fun banter, and the gas station junk food, the friends have some hard questions to answer on the road. With her uncle's address in her pocket, Mariam hopes to learn the truth about her father (and to make sure she didn't inherit his talent for disappearing). But as each mile of the road trip brings them closer to their own truths, they know they can rely on each other, and laughter, to get them through.

Mariam, Umar, and Ghaz are three teens who have been emotionally damaged and scarred by their parents in very different ways.  Each of them, finding friendship and loyalty in each other, decide to go on a spontaneous road trip.  Along the way- like any good road trip story- the characters find themselves and come to realize that what they've got and who they are is better than what they've been chasing their entire lives.

Mariam's father abandoned her family when she was only two years old.  She's always wanted to know more about him, but her mother erased him from their lives.  She never even spoke much of him.  Umar comes from a very religious Muslim family, but he's gay and doesn't know how to fulfill that part of his life openly when he knows he would likely be disowned if he ever came out to them.  When Ghaz gets in trouble for a risque photoshoot, Mariam and Umar come together to rescue her, Rapunzel style.  They hit the road with one destination in mind: New Orleans.  With a car, your best friends, and a set of fake IDs, anything is possible.

I loved the character dynamics and the topics that this books touched on.  Mariam and her friends learn that you don't always need the traditional idea of a family; they're each other's family.  Racism and Islamophobia is present in this book as well, which I haven't gotten the chance to experience in many YA books thus far.  Going on a road trip through the south, you come across the narrow-mindedness of some, but can be pleasantly surprised by the understanding of others and I felt that this was an important lesson in this book.

Overall, I loved every second of Mariam Sharma Hits the Road!  There are great friendships, personal growth, and a ton of hilarious one-liners.  I especially enjoyed the fact that I'd been to a few of the locations mentioned in the book on a road trip of my own a couple years back.  It felt like I could relate to the characters even more!  I would definitely recommend to anyone in all walks of life, because it's a very relatable and heartwarming story.

Getting back into Bookstagram

Last year I wanted to try combining two of my favorite hobbies: reading and photography.  It was fun, but quickly became overwhelming, as I had much more on my plate than anticipated.  I couldn't invest much time on trying to rebuild a new social media account and I quickly ran out of unique creative ideas, so the account was put on hold.  One day, just last month, I woke up and wanted to start it up again!  I feel like I'm getting better everyday, and I love seeing what others in the community are posting.

Here are some of my recent Bookstagram posts!

If you would like to follow, you can find me here, at thehollowcupboards!

If  you bookstagram as well, I would love to follow you.  Please leave your links below!

What I've Been Watching: Thirteen Reasons Why

(No Spoilers)

Season 2 of the controversial Netflix show, Thirteen Reasons Why, released just a couple weeks ago.  With the way that Season 1 got me hooked, I knew that I had to continue watching, just to see where they could possibly go from there.  The thing about season one, if you haven't seen it, is that it covered what happened (and then some) in the book, written by Jay Asher.  Season 2 is a completely new story to all viewers, so that's partially what reeled me in so fast.

One thing you will notice going into this season is that each episode holds a message from the cast regarding reaching out for help, making sure to leave the suicide hotline, and urging younger viewers to watch with a parent or guardian.  This season goes into more about the characters, or the "reasons" Hannah died.  In season 1, we heard her side of the story, but season 2 is all about the secrets she kept and the court battle between Hannah's parents and the school.

I may be the only one, but I was feeling some serious Pretty Little Liar vibes this season, because it had a lot to do with trying to find out the secrets of a dead girl.  The producers really took the viewers on a journey this time around.  While we've already gotten to see the aftermath of losing Hannah, delving deeper into each characters feelings and them trying to heal is an important part of this story.  I do have to say, there were scenes where it felt that the creators were reaching for that shock-factor.  I can certainly empathize, and I know there are teenagers going through many experiences similar to these every day, but there were certain things that I didn't feel necessary to include in the development of certain characters.

Overall, yes, I still consider this show among one of my current favorites!  It's edgy and pulls you in from the very start.  I like that they're not afraid to discuss and portray real issues.  If you like drama and mystery, this is definitely going to be a show for you.

Have you watched both seasons yet?  

Let's discuss in the comments below!

Currently Reading and June TBR

Where is the time going?  I can barely get one book read before the month is over; it's been such a busy year!  Hopefully now that it's summer, things can slow down and I can enjoy life.  June is my birthday month, and this year I'll be turning 26!  Every summer I get in the mood to read cute, fluffy contemporary romances, and this one is no different!

Currently reading:

Leah on the Off Beat by Becky Albertalli

It's taking me a LONG time to get through this one, only because I don't normally listen to audiobooks, and I keep forgetting to put it on when I'm cleaning and/or driving!  So far I'm enjoying it, though.  It's nice to be reacquainted with all of the characters from Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Saga Vol 2-8 by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples

After falling in love with the first of this series, I knew that I had to get my hands on the next few volumes.  My best friend was able to loan me the copies she had, and I went ahead and bought the rest.

June/Summer TBR

 

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

By Your Side by Kasie West

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim

Invisible Ghosts by Robyn Schneider

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Summer screams the names of authors like Kasie West and Morgan Matson to me, and since there are a few Kasie West books I need to catch up on, I'm going to try and do that this month!

I've also heard great things about Sandhya Menon's books, so I decided to pick them up ASAP.  I can't wait to get started on When Dimple Met Rishi!  

And who doesn't love a good roadtrip book?  Mariam Sharma Hits the Road is about a cross-country trip to my favorite place, New Orleans!  Since I can't take my own roadtrip there right now, at least I can join these characters on theirs!

What are you hoping to read this summer?

Stacking the Shelves: May 2018 Book Haul

Bought

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Haunted Heartland by Beth Scott & Michael Norman

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Review

Nothing Left to Burn by Heather Ezell

A Date With Darcy (Bookish Boyfriends #1) by Tiffany Schmidt

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking

From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking

Strange Stars by Jason Heller

How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson

The Falling Between Us by Ash Parsons

What I Leave Behind by Alison McGee

Gudetama's Guide to Life by Brian Elling

Eggistential Thoughts by Gudetama the Lazy Egg by Francesco Sedita & Max Bisantz

My favorite bookstore find this month was definitely Haunted Heartland, a ghost book involving stories that take place in the midwest.  My dad had this same book when I was younger, but it was loaned out and never returned.  When I stumbled upon this copy, I knew I had to have it.  Another book I'm super excited to add to my collection is Saga, Vol. 1!  Check out my mini review here!

What new books have come into your life recently?  Feel free to leave the link to your most recent book haul below!

Mini Review: Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Title: Saga, Vol. 1
Author: Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
Publisher: Image Comics
Age Group: Adult
Category: Graphic Novel/Comic
Release date: October 23rd, 2012
Pages: 160
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Purchased
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

Although I remember hearing about Saga from other readers, I never looked into picking up any of the volumes until I stumbled upon Volume One at my local Half Price Books store.  I must say: for a book lover, I rarely buy myself books.  I have so many on my shelves to read that I'm certain I will never get through all of them.  Yet, here I was, book in my hands immediately upon finding it on the shelves.  I didn't even flip through it beforehand, I just knew that I wanted it. 

Saga is a tale about two starcrossed lovers, trapped in the middle of a battle between each of their kind.  There's Marko, a kind and caring soul who believes that violence only leads to more violence, and Alana, who is protective and headstrong.  Because they separated themselves from the war in order to fall in love and start a family, everyone- from each side- seems to be after them.  The artwork in this book is so strange and wonderful, it fits the story perfectly.  I must say, after reading Volume One, I absolutely regret not picking up the other volumes they had in store.  I will definitely be getting my hands on the rest of the series thus far, because I flew through this one faster than I anticipated.

I'm Reading for Myself Again

It's been a long time since I've blogged about books.  Life has gotten busy, it's true, but I also burned myself out.  Last year I thought that maybe I would reinvent my blog, but it was also the year that I posted the least.  I see that many of the bloggers who were around when I started are barely posting anymore. 

Maybe everyone has moved on to bigger and better things, or maybe they're hopping on the BookTube bandwagon that I always wanted to try but never had the guts to begin.  I feel so out of the loop, but this time, I don't mind so much.  I'm reading for myself again.  I don't know which new books are coming out anymore, and I'm okay with it.  Now I just get a happy surprise if I go to the store and see that one of my favorite authors has released something new.

Right now I'm reading books that I choose to read, not books that are coming out soon because I have to review them.  Don't get me wrong, I love creating hype for a book that I was fortunate enough to enjoy earlier than most, but there's also something so relieving about picking out a book that's been sitting on your shelves for a while, patiently waiting to be read.

Current Reads:

  

It by Stephen King

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

I absolutely loved the new theatrical remake of Stephen King's It.  I spent a month after seeing it in theaters just looking up more of the story.  I finally purchased the book on a whim, and I'm loving it.  I know that it will take me a while to read, though, because it's a daunting 1,157 pages long!

After finishing Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia, I needed a new ebook to read, so I went with Kasie West's new novel, Love, Life, and the List.  Since I mostly read on my kindle during my lunch breaks at work, I thought that this would be the perfect, fluffy read.

What are you reading?

Review: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Title: Eliza and Her Monsters
Author: Francesca Zappia
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Contemporary
Release date: May 30th, 2017
Pages: 385 (eARC)
Rating: 3 out of 5
Source: Edelweiss
Goodreads | Amazon | Author

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. 

Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try. 

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. 

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.

The first thing that appealed to me about Eliza and Her Monsters was that just by the description of the book, I could see a lot of myself in Eliza.  In high school, I was always the quiet kid who kept to herself.  I sat in the back of my classes with a pen in my hand-- not taking notes, but writing about another world to escape into.  Like Eliza, I became obsessed with one of my stories, and I worked hard on it for years, posting it online anonymously.  While I gained some loyal readers who knew nothing about the real me, it wasn't nearly the fanbase that Eliza created for herself with Monstrous Sea.

When Eliza starts to fall for real-life Monstrous Sea fan, Wallace, she chooses to keep her real identity a secret.  As a reader, you know that this can only end one way, but it was fun to read about their relationship nonetheless.  Before him, Eliza never had anyone other than her family and two long-distance online friends to spend her time with.  Spending time with him and his group of friends helps her experience so many new things.  One thing that had me on the fence about Wallace and Eliza was that most of their conversations take place over text or in notes, even if they're sitting face to face.  Somehow, that made their connection feel too impersonal to me. 

By the time I got to the end of the book, I felt that I was just reading to get it over with.  There were many predictable, and some unbelievable parts that I couldn't shake once I read them.  I would say, though, that the story is nicely paced and well written, portraying relatable characters and an interesting plot.  I used to feel so alone in my writing and interests, but by reading about characters that I can see so much of myself in, I now see that was never true.  I would have loved a book like this if it had come out 10 years ago, and I hope that teenagers read this today and see parts of themselves in Eliza or Wallace, too.

I Hate Everyone But You Blog Tour (Excerpt)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Dear Best Friend,

I can already tell that I will hate everyone but you.

Sincerely,

Ava Helmer

(that brunette who won’t leave you alone)

We're still in the same room, you weirdo.

Stop crying.

G

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two best friends will document every moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance?

EXCERPT

THE COMPLETE MORTIFICATION OF AVA HELMER (1999–PRESENT)

Ava Helmer <AVA.HELMER@gmail.com>

to Gen

1) Birth. I poop inside my mom’s womb. I obviously don’t remember this. But I do remember all the times my mom talked about it at family events.

2) Kindergarten. I try to sit on the teacher’s lap during naptime. She tells me that is inappropriate. In front of the entire class.

3) Third grade. Becky Olsberg and Laura Jenner invite me over for a playdate. We share secrets. I confess that sometimes I eat flowers. They tell everyone that I am secretly a horse trapped in a girl’s body.

4) All of middle school.

5) Jordan F. asks me to come over to his house to ask me about you. (Did I ever tell you this? I knew you hated Jordan F. so I might have kept that as a silent shame until now. Oh, no. What if you DIDN’T hate Jordan F. and I ruined your one shot at true happiness as well as any chance of you staying in California for college? He goes to Stanford. I love him so much.) 

6) Prom. You remember. 

7) Day 3 of rushing. When I find out that only 3 of 10 houses want me back. EVEN THOUGH THE AVERAGE IS 7! Only getting asked back to 3 houses in the second round is unheard of. I’m mortified.
a) One of those houses, Pi Phi, is like the COOLEST house on campus, so they have obviously just invited me back to be nice. Or as a cruel joke. (Please refer to #3 above.) 

 I don’t even want to go back to rush. If I do, I’ll feel like I’m asking for it. (Not sexually; I know women can’t actually do that.) 

 I want to cry, but stupid Jessica won’t leave the room! 

A dead person, formerly known as Ava Beth Helmer 

P.S. I’m already crying. Just really softly.

AUTHOR INFO

 

Allison Raskin & Gaby Dunn are two best friends who live in Los Angeles. They started the comedy YouTube channel Just Between Us in 2014 and have since then spent far too much time together. Gaby’s journalism has appeared in pretty much every major publication and Allison has written some really funny group texts with her family. They hope to die within one hour of each other so neither has to plan a funeral. I Hate Everyone But You is their debut novel.

Buy the Book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, Powells

Bout of Books 19: Goals and Updates

Lately I've been wanting to read so many books at once, when I came across a post for the Bout of Books readathon, I knew I had to join!  It's a low-pressure, week-long readathon, giving me plenty of days to read as much as my heart desires without stressing out about it!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Readathon TBR

I'm starting this readathon with something I rarely ever do...a reread!  Thirteen Reasons Why is one of my favorite books, and starting the Netflix series made me itch to pick the book up again!  After that, I'm planning on finishing The Unexpected Everything, which I'm already halfway through.  Honestly, I'm not expecting to read all of these.  I'll be glad if I get through 3, but I have no reason not to aim high!

Progress:

        Monday                                                                                  Tuesday

-Books read today: 0                                                               -Books read today: 1

-Number of pages read: 252                                                   -Number of pages read: 50

      Wednesday                                                                              Thursday

-Books read today: 0                                                                -Books read today: 0

-Number of pages read: 0                                                        -Number of pages read: 28

          Friday                                                                                   Saturday

-Books read today: 0.5                                                              -Books read today: 1

-Number of pages read: 237                                                     -Number of pages read: 228

          Sunday

-Books read today: 1

-Number of pages read: 269

-Total number of books finished: 3.5

-Total number of pages read: 1,064

Overview:

Monday: From the moment I started watching Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix, I knew that I wanted to reread the book, because it had been about 5 years since I first read it and I was foggy on the details of the story and I wanted to see how the two compared.

Tuesday: In the early hours of Tuesday, I finished the last 50 pages of Thirteen Reasons Why, but got caught up in errands, so I wasn't able to start my next book just yet.  The book was as good as I remembered, although I didn't cry this second time around.

Wednesday: My boyfriend was kind enough to share his cold with me, so I spent a majority of the day in bed, trying to sleep off the virus.  No such luck...it's Sunday as I type this, and I'm still sick!

Thursday: Still fighting a cold, so I was only able to read a few pages of Shattered Warrior, which is a really great graphic novel that I'll be a part of a blog tour for very soon!  This one wasn't even on my list, but it was calling to me from my bookshelf.

Friday: I finally finished the last half of The Unexpected Everything, and I have to say, it wasn't my favorite Morgan Matson book.  It was cute, don't get me wrong...I guess I was just hoping for more from such a long story.

Saturday: I continued reading Shattered Warrior until I finished it in just over an hour.  Can't wait for a sequel!  Review will be up on May 24th!

Sunday: Finishing off this awesome readathon with Words in Deep Blue, because I know it'll be a quick and easy read for me, but I don't want it to stop here!  I want to keep pushing myself to read multiple books a week.